Travel > Things to Look For
For short trips (2 weeks or less)
Assuming you already have good
coverage with your regular health insurance
plan, you may only need a small
supplemental plan, with features like
emergency evacuation and 24 hour worldwide
assistance, along with a limited benefit for
medical expenses ($10,000 to $50,000 is
typical). These plans are readily available
and may include
lost luggage and trip cancellation/interruption
protection too. Be careful with plans that
require you to pay all bills yourself and
then seek reimbursement when you return
home.
For intermediate trips (2 weeks to 6 months)
The longer you are away the less likely it
is your US-based plan will cover you, so you
should place more importance on the medical benefits of the plan.
In addition to a higher emergency evacuation
benefit, your plan should cover between
$100,000 and $1 million in medical expenses.
Other features to look for include coverage
for a family member to come to your
assistance if you are hospitalized in a
foreign country, and an option to include
"hazardous activities" such as scuba diving,
skiing and bungee jumping.
For longer trips (6 months or longer)
The travel insurance you purchase will most
likely be your primary or only health
insurance. Be sure that your plan includes
all of the above, with higher maximum
benefits ($1 million or more) as well as
some provision for coverage when you return
home. If you spend a year abroad but return
home for even a short time, make sure you are still
covered.
Multi-year or Open-ended trips
Standard travel medical insurance plans are
usually limited to one year, with the option
to renew for another year. If you think you
will be abroad for longer, look into a
permanent international major medical plan.
International major medical coverage contains all the
benefits of a travel medical plan, with the
difference that once
you are accepted, you can keep your coverage
year after year by just paying the
premium. Most importantly, you are covered
for medical treatment anywhere in the world,
including back here in the USA. Note that
these plans are medically underwritten, and
people with prior health problems may have
trouble obtaining coverage.
